Medical and Psychological Leave Policy
Students who encounter unplanned health issues once the term has begun may request a Leave of Absence (LOA) due to a health condition (see Leave of Absence Policy). While a student may take an LOA from ArtCenter for various reasons. An LOA for health purposes indicates a sudden and unexpected health condition prohibiting the student from completing all classes in a term and taking Incompletes (see Incomplete Policy). In these cases, some adjustments may be made to the student’s billing and financial aid based on the date that the LOA form was received by enrollment Services and a Medical Leave Form completed for review by the Vice President of Student Affairs/Dean of Students. Leaves for health reasons are not granted routinely. They are granted only after carefully evaluating everyone’s situation and documentation. The Medical Leave form and additional information is available in the Center for the Student Experience office. Documentation for the medical condition must meet the following standards:
- Completion of the Medical Leave form provided by ArtCenter by a treating health care provider as described below.
- The treating healthcare provider must be a medical doctor (MD), clinical psychologist, licensed clinical social worker (LCSW), or Marriage and Family Therapist (MFT).
The treating healthcare provider may not be a relative of the patient/student, nor can they be employed by ArtCenter.
The student requesting a medical or psychological leave must also permit the Vice President of Student Affairs/Dean of Students (or designee) and Director of Counseling Services to contact the treating healthcare provider to discuss the case or to verify the diagnosis or treatment.
To qualify for medical or psychological leave, students must show that their condition or course of treatment renders them incapable of coming to campus, attending all classes, and completing assignments. Examples may include but are not limited to catastrophic accidents or severe illnesses in which the student must be conned to bed rest for several weeks, admitted into an inpatient treatment facility for several weeks, daily medical or psychological therapy for several weeks, or a temporary disability that renders the student physically or psychologically unable to work on projects in a substantive manner.
Missing a few days of classes, generally falling behind due to other issues, and other such reasons do not constitute grounds for a medical leave.
Before a student can return to campus, they must provide the Center for the Student Experience with the Return from Medical Leave form certifying that the student is well enough to return to the rigors and stresses of an ArtCenter curriculum. The Vice President of Student Affairs/Dean of Students (or designee) and Director of Counseling Services may request that the student discuss a care plan or check-in once or twice during the term as a condition of enrollment. Students may be on medical or psychological leave for three consecutive terms and return without seeking re-entry or readmission: those on leave for more than three terms will need to go through the re-entry process (See Readmission and Re-entry Policy).
Students who have not attended for two or more years must undergo the readmission process. Unless otherwise specified, students returning from medical leave are subject to the same deadlines, standards and requirements as other ArtCenter students.